


The relationship

by Abraham



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:28:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25333144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abraham/pseuds/Abraham
Summary: Magnum and Higgins are dating. How long can they keep it a secret?
Relationships: Juliet Higgins/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Comments: 24
Kudos: 179





	1. Chapter 1

They had been dating for a month. And in Magnum’s opinion, it had been the best month of his life. Their relationship was pretty much the same as it had always been. They still worked together. Higgins still nagged him. He still annoyed her. But at night, when the rest of the world was asleep, Juliet Higgins was tucked against his side with her head nestled under his chin and he couldn’t imagine anything better. 

They had decided to keep their relationship a secret for the time being. It was nice having her all to himself, but sometimes that backfired. Like this morning, when they accidently slept in.

“Juliet?” There was a knock at her door.

“Oh my God! It’s Kumu.”

“I know who Kumu is,” he mumbled, still half asleep.

“I’ll be right there Kumu. Hurry. Get under the bed!”

“What? I’m not 16.”

“I don’t care. I’m just not ready …” And she stopped. Her eyes pleaded with him.

He groaned. Then leaned over and kissed her deeply. “You know I can’t say no to you.”

She smiled a genuine smile that lit up her eyes.

He sighed and crawled under the bed as she shoved his clothes under after him.

“You so owe me!”

“Hush.”

Fastening the belt on her robe, Juliet opened the door. “Hi Kumu. Is something wrong?”

“I was just worried. You never sleep in.”

“Oh. I’m fine. I must have been really tired.”

Kumu stepped into the room and handed Juliet a note. 

“This came for you.”

“Thanks,” she said frowning at the envelope. It simply had her name typed across the front.

Magnum was watching their feet from under the bed. Then he looked slightly to the right and his eyes widened as he realized his shoes were still lying by Higgins’ dresser. Right where he had kicked them off the night before.

Higgins must have noticed them at the same time.

“Well, thanks Kumu,” she said, tossing a towel onto the shoes and practically pushing the woman toward the door. “I’ll be right down.”

Kumu frowned at her, but stepped into the hallway.

“No need to hurry. I’ll see you later.”

Higgins closed the door and Magnum crawled out from under the bed. “Do you think she saw my shoes?”

“I don’t know,” but she was distracted, opening the letter.

It was a card that said, “I’m watching you Juliet.”

She looked up at Thomas and showed him the note.

“We need to ask Kumu where she found this,” he said. “Do you have a plastic bag?”

“We should probably call Katsumoto too,” she said.

“I’m going to check all of the security cameras. Can you talk to Kumu?”

Higgins could tell he was worried.

The cameras showed nothing and Kumu said she found the note in the mailbox when she picked up the newspaper that morning. They decided not to call Katsumoto at this point. There really wasn’t anything he could do, and after Kumu and Higgins had both touched the card, there probably weren’t any usable fingerprints anyway.

Magnum spent the day checking the perimeter of the property to make sure everything was secure. He was almost positive that no one could get onto the compound. They both tried to think of someone they (or Higgins) had pissed off recently, but no one came to mind immediately. When nothing else happened over the next week, they pushed thoughts of the note to back of their minds.

It had been awhile, but Magnum and Higgins decided to meet Rick and T.C. at La Mariana. Higgins was sitting to Magnum's left and her foot was touching his. They really needed to leave. He picked up his beer to finish it.

“You know what you need Thomas?” Rick said. “You need a date. And I know the perfect woman.”

Thomas choked on that last sip.

“What? I don’t need a date.”

“How long’s it been since Abby left? Six months? My God man, you’re practically on your way to priesthood. Listen. Her name is Colleen and she’s a kindergarten teacher. She is gorgeous and super smart.”

“No man. I’m good. Why don’t you date her?”

“Not my type. Besides, I already told her you would pick her up tomorrow night at 7 p.m.”

“What? Rick! No! Tell her I’m not interested.”

He looked over at Juliet who was looking down at the table.

“Come on Jules. Tell him it will be good for him,” Rick said. “T.C. …”

“Um, sure Magnum. You should go.”

He turned and stared at her.

“You really have been spending a lot of time alone lately. We’re worried about you man,” T.C. said. “You don’t come out with us nearly as often as you used to.”

“Yeah,” Rick added. “You haven’t asked for a ‘friend of the owner’ beer in weeks.”

“I’m fine. I don’t need a date.”

By the time the evening was over, Rick at badgered him into agreeing to take Colleen to dinner the next night. It turns out Rick was interested in her friend.

“We can double date,” he said.

Later that night, Thomas and Juliet were at his place. She was in the bathroom brushing her teeth and he was pulling down the blankets on the bed.

“Higgy.”

“What? I couldn’t say anything,” she said. 

“Do you really want me going out with another woman?”

“No,” she said miserably, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Not at all.”

He sighed. He knew how hard it was for her to trust someone and letting him in at all was huge. He knew she was frightened to get too close to him, to depend on him and then worry that he would be gone in an instant. That’s why he had agreed to her ridiculous request. He figured if he let her set the pace of this relationship, it would make her feel more secure.

He sat down next to her, put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into him. He rested his chin on her head and rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

“I will go on this stupid date. I will get rid of her as soon as I can without hurting her feelings.”

She nodded against him. “I’m sorry.”

The next night, Higgins looked up from her book when he came into the main house. He looked amazing and her stomach twisted.

He looked to make sure no one was watching and leaned down to kiss her. “I’ll be back soon. Wait up for me.”

Colleen was in fact a lovely woman. Just not the woman for Magnum. As she sat describing her kindergartners, he pictured Higgins surrounded by a classroom of rowdy 5-year-olds, completely out of her element and panicked. He smiled at the thought.

“What?” Colleen asked. 

“Oh nothing. I was just picturing your class.”

“So, what do you like to do when you’re not working?”

All of his actual answers involved Higgins.

“I’m thinking of becoming a monk,” he said.

Colleen practically spit out her drink. “Funny.”

“No. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought lately. You know, give up my worldly possessions, take a vow of poverty, a vow of silence. I feel like maybe God is calling me to serve him more closely. Plus, those robes look really comfy.”

Colleen’s jaw hung open.

“Sorry to spring this on you. You’re the first person I’m telling. You’re a really good listener. Rick didn’t even know about my plans. I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”

She was already grabbing her purse and standing up. “This has been … I hope you make the worst monk ever.” And she stalked out of the restaurant.

Thomas felt a twinge of regret. He hated hurting her, but at the same time, he hadn’t asked Rick to set him up.

“A monk?! What is wrong with you?!” Rick said. Thomas’ phone had rung about 30 minutes after Colleen stalked off.

“I don’t know man. I just wasn’t feeling it.”

“You couldn’t finish the date like a normal person and then just avoid her calls? Her friend says she never wants to hear from me.”

“I’m really sorry.”

He wasn’t that sorry, though, because he found Higgins waiting for him in his bed. He crawled under the covers and pulled her to him. “I never want to do that again,” he said.

“What? Go on a date?”

“Go on a date that isn’t you.”

She hugged him closer as his words sunk in. She waited for the panic to set in, but it didn’t. She was just so relieved that he was home.

“Another card came while you were gone,” she said quietly.

“What? When?” he sat up. “Why didn’t you text me.”

She ignored that last part. “It was by the front door right before dinner. I checked all the cameras again. And nothing.”

“What did it say?" He was frustrated and angry because this time someone had come all the way to the house.

“It said, ‘You know what you did.’ I put it with the other card.”

“We need to call Katsumoto.”

“I know. Can we wait until the morning?”

He laid down again with his arm around her. He kissed the top of her head and felt her relax against him. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t sleep at all.


	2. New beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnum and Higgins pretend to be married for a case.

Magnum was up and out early. He again wanted to check the perimeter and the cameras. Higgins knew he was feeling responsible for the security breach and she also knew that he was extremely protective when it came to her. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel threatened by that. She felt … loved. And yes, that scared her as much as it made her happy.

Detective Katsumoto arrived midmorning.

“Got yourself a stalker Higgins?”

“Something like that,” she said. Magnum did not respond.

“So who have you annoyed lately, Magnum, besides me.”

“I went through all of our old case files from the past year. There could be a lot of people not happy with us,” Magnum said. “That’s the thing, though, it should be both of us.”

“Perhaps it’s something from my MI6 days,” Higgins said.

“But why wait until now?” Katsumoto asked. “You’ve been retired for a couple years now. Can you think of anyone else who may have a grudge against you? Did you cut someone off while you were driving or take someone’s spot in line at the store?”

“The only thing I can think of is that guy from my yoga class that was hitting on me and I turned him down.”

Magnum looked at her. “When was that? You didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t tell you because I handled it,” she said. “He was actually the husband of someone in my class. His wife and I became friendly and we would talk after class sometimes. She was telling me that she thought her husband was cheating on her. I gave her your name Thomas. I told her you were a private investigator.” 

“What was her name? I don’t think she ever called.”

“It was Samantha Kelley. She didn’t. I would have recognized the name,” Higgins said. “Her husband would pick her up after class. That last time, she wasn’t at class, but he still showed up. That’s when he asked me out and said a few other inappropriate things.”

Magnum frowned. “Have you seen him since you told him you weren’t interested?”

“No. I haven’t seen either of them. I stopped going to that class, though, because he made me uncomfortable.”

“I’ll see what I can find out about him,” Katsumoto said, standing up to leave. “I’m also going to take these cards and see if we can get any prints.”

After Katsumoto left, Magnum and Higgins walked to the study.

“It worries me that whoever delivered those notes got so close to the house,” Magnum said. “It’s like they knew exactly where the cameras are.”

“It is odd.”

“I also wish you would have told me about that guy.”

“I handled it Thomas.” 

He kissed her quickly. “I know you did, and I know you are more than capable of handling anything. It doesn’t mean I don’t worry about you.”

“I know,” she said.

Kumu walked into the study. “Thomas, you had a call. I think it may be a case. It was from a counselor at “New Beginnings.” His name is Nate Bradley. Here’s his number.”

“Thanks Kumu. What’s New Beginnings?”

“I think it’s one of those support group camps on Enchanted Island,” she said. “You know, you go away for the weekend and try to fix all your problems.”

“Sounds interesting. I’ll call him back,” Magnum said.

It turns out the camp had been experiencing some vandalism and Nate was eager to find out what was going on. He asked Magnum and Higgins to come up for the next session which happened to be “Finding new meaning in your marriage.”

“Basically it’s Divorce Camp,” Magnum said. “This is like a last ditch effort to save your marriage.”

“Nice,” Higgins said poking him. “Maybe some of these couples truly want to work through their problems.”

They agreed to pretend to be a married couple coming for the session. Magnum was especially excited because it meant a) he could get Higgins away from Robin’s Nest for a little bit while Katsumoto tried to figure out who was sending the notes, and b) he and Higgins wouldn’t have to hide their relationship.

“It’s like an all-expenses paid vacation,” he said, smiling over at her.

“Except that we’re working and it’s a glorified Scout Camp.”

The ferry terminal was about an hour from Honolulu, and after a quick ride, they arrived on the small island. It was beautiful. The downtown had numerous restaurants and then large private homes lined the roads. The camp was on the far side of the island. Magnum held Higgins’ hand as they drove up.

“Remember, we can’t seem too happy,” she said. “We’re meant to be having trouble.”

He squeezed her hand. “Right, Mrs. Magnum.”

“It’s Ms. Higgins. I kept my maiden name.”

He smirked at her and she grinned back at him.

Nate welcomed them and showed them to a cabin. 

“We’ll meet together as a group for dinner. Just let me know if you have any questions.”

The cabin was tiny with just enough room for a bed and a private bathroom.

“Well this is cozy,” Magnum said, patting the bed beside him. “Maybe we should try this out before dinner.”

Higgins ignored him. “Nate said a number of cabins had been vandalized, but there are no surveillance cameras.” They decided to set up some surveillance equipment later that night.

Then, right before they left for dinner, Katsumoto called. There were no usable prints on either of the cards, and Angus Kelley, the husband of Higgins’ yoga friend, had moved shortly after Higgins stopped going to class. Katsumoto was still trying to find out where he had moved to.

“Great. We’ve got nothing,” Thomas said. Higgins squeezed his shoulder.

They were seated with two other couples: Brant and Diana, about the same age as Magnum and Higgins, and Jack and Madison, in their early 20s. Conversation flowed during dinner as they talked about home and where they worked. At one point, when the women had started talking amongst themselves, Thomas paused and looked over at Higgins. She was laughing at something one of the other women said. She looked absolutely gorgeous and he felt his heart trip over that fact.

“Wow. I can tell you really love your wife,” Brant said.

“What?”

“Your face. When you looked at her just now. I could read it all over your face.”

“Well, um, yes. I do love her. We ah, just need to work out a few things.”

“Don’t we all,” Brant said.

“They seem nice,” Higgins said later while they were deciding where the best places for surveillance cameras were. “Jack and Madi are so young. I can’t imagine being married at 20. He’s a Marine.”

They finished with the cameras and headed back to the cabin. Later than night, Higgins lay half on Thomas’ chest. She looked up at him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. Sounds serious.”

“Are you scared of us messing this up?”

“What? The case?”

“No. Us. It’s just that … I’m happy.”

He let out a breath and then pulled her up until he could kiss her. “I’m happy too. And no, I’m not worried at all about messing this up.”

She nodded and settled her arm across his chest and was soon fast asleep.

The next morning, graffiti was sprayed all over the dining hall. It said, “You think you’re so smart bitch.” Thomas had a terrible feeling that this was somehow related to the cards Higgins had been getting, but how was that even possible? The local police responded, but no one had seen anything. Not willing to blow their cover, Magnum and Higgins did not mention the cameras they placed on the property. They didn’t have any good images anyway, just a shadowy figure.

“I don’t like this Higgins.”

“I don’t either.”

Once the excitement died down, Nate took the couples to Enchanted Lake. Some of the sessions were a little cheesy, but it gave them a chance to check out the rest of the camp without being obvious. The beach was filled with rocks and Nate was telling a story about a Sea Captain who was sailing the world after losing the love of his life. She was a beautiful English woman (Thomas nudged Higgy) who had been swept overboard during a storm. The myth was that the tiny pieces of colored sea glass that washed up on shore were her tears as she waited for her true love to find her.

“Or it could be the smashed beer bottles that careless partiers threw into the water,” Magnum whispered.

“Shhhh. You’re taking all of the romance out of it,” Higgins said.

Nate was saying that finding pieces of beach glass took patience and hard work, just like marriage. You had to stop the frantic pace of your life, and work through the hardships to find those sparkling treasures.

“You would not think that was so profound if I said it,” Thomas said, and Higgins rolled her eyes at him.

Then the couples were off hunting for their own pieces of sea glass. Higgins included. She gleefully exclaimed when she found one. Thomas smiled at her enthusiasm. He looked down and noticed a penny-sized, light-blue piece of glass nestled among the rocks. The water had molded it into a rough heart shape. He looked over at Higgins, but she had moved farther down the beach. He put the tiny heart in his pocket.

He realized right then that he would do anything to protect her.


	3. The cliffs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnum and Higgins finally figure some things out.

Magnum was frustrated that night. He and Higgins had just finished going through every possible case they could think of that included someone annoyed with Higgins.

“I give up,” he said. “Come here woman.”

She smirked. “That definitely will never work.”

He laughed and caught her hand pulling her toward him. 

Just then, someone knocked at the door.

“Ignore it,” he whispered. 

“Thomas. Whoever it is can see the light on.”

The knock came again.

“Juliet? It’s Madi. Can I come in?”

Thomas groaned.

“What? You’re the nice one. It’s usually me annoyed with people,” she whispered while going to the door.

“Hi Madi. Oh no. What’s wrong?”

Madi started to cry. “This isn’t working. I don’t think Jack and I are meant to be together.”

Higgins looked over at Thomas. She put her arm around the girl’s shoulders and brought her into the room.

“Here, let me grab my phone and then we can go for a walk. Would it help if Thomas talked to Jack?”

Thomas, meanwhile, was behind Madi shaking his head no, while waving his hands. Madi turned toward him. “Maybe it would help.”

He smiled at her. “Sure,” he said, narrowing his eyes at Higgins as he passed her.

“Your husband is so nice,” Madi said. “He’s really handsome too.”

“Yes. He is that. Come along. Let’s walk.”

It turns out that Madi and Jack got married quickly before he was deployed a year ago. “We were so happy before he left. I knew I wanted to be with him forever, but when he came back, he was so different.”

“Thomas will understand. He was in the Navy, in Afghanistan.”

“I didn’t know that,” Madi said.

Higgins then asked Madi about herself, her dreams and plans for the future. 

“I didn’t really think beyond Jack coming home. I do want to go to college. I’ve always wanted to be a nurse.”

“Well you should do that. You need to have an outlet, something to focus on that makes you feel good about yourself. You and Jack need to get yourselves straightened out before you can work on being together.”

“You’re really good at this,” Madi said.

“Hardly. I just have a lot of life experience,” and she smiled over at the girl.

Right then, Jack and Thomas came around the corner. Jack immediately went over to Madi and told her how sorry he was. They walked away talking.

Higgins looked over at Magnum.

“Thank you.”

“He’s a good kid who’s seen some terrible things.” Thomas sighed and Higgins knew he was thinking about his own experiences. She put her arms around him. “Let’s go back to the cabin, Mr. Magnum.”

“Sounds good Mrs. Higgins-Magnum.”

“Still just Higgins.”

As they were walking in the door, Katsumoto called with bad news. It seemed that Angus Kelley now worked for New Beginnings.

“It has to be him,” Higgins said, “but I don’t understand why.”

Thomas thanked him for the information and called Nate.

“How did you hear about us? Our business?”

“I found your card on my desk. I thought it just came in with the mail and it was divine providence because the vandalism had just started about a week before.”

Thomas asked him a few questions about Angus, but nothing pointed to him as their suspect.

Higgins pulled out her laptop and started looking into both Angus and Samantha again. It was research on Samantha that made her pause. 

“Thomas, Samantha’s father owned a surveillance company. I think it’s the same one that put in the cameras at Robin’s Nest.”

“That explains how they were able to avoid being seen,” he said. “That still doesn’t explain why they’re targeting you.”

The next morning, Nate split up the men and women. The women went on a hike, while the men helped to build benches that would be used around the campfire. The activity supposedly had some connection to making a solid marriage, but Thomas had stopped paying attention at that point.

Higgins and the others had been gone about an hour when Madi and Diana came screaming out of the woods. The guys could barely understand them.

“Where’s Juliet,” Thomas asked, frantically looking back toward the woods.

“They grabbed her,” Madi said breathlessly. “She screamed at us to run. She was fighting both of them, but she couldn’t …”

Madi stopped to catch her breath and Jack put his arm around her.

“It was a man and a woman,” Diana said. “Youngish, older than Madi and Jack, but probably not 30 yet.”

Thomas started to run into the woods. “Call the police and call detective Gordon Katsumoto with the Honolulu Police Department.”

He sprinted down the path toward the cliffs where Madi and Diana had last seen Higgins. He refused to let his mind go to the cliffs. Instead, he pictured her like she was this morning, soft and warm curled up against him. She had kissed him slowly and then pulled the blanket around herself on the way to the shower.

“No. Don’t leave yet,” he had said, snagging her hand as she walked by. 

“We need to get up Thomas,” she had said, but she let him pull her back to him. “Higgins, I …”

He had almost told her he loved her right then. Why hadn’t he?

“Please be OK Higgins. You have to be OK. I can’t live without you.”

He skidded to a halt near the edge of the woods and slowly made his way to the end of the path. He could see Higgins. She was propped up against a rock near the edge. Her hands were tied behind her, and she had a nasty bump on her forehead. It took everything in him not to sprint toward her.

“We see you Mr. Magnum. You should come out now.”

“Don’t hurt her.”

“Oh, I’m not going to physically hurt her, at least not right now. She’s going to watch me hurt you.”

“No!” Higgins shouted.

“Bitch. You almost cost me everything. Telling my wife to hire a private investigator. Luckily she saw the light.”

“You did that to yourself,” Higgins said.

Angus backhanded her across the face. “Oops. I guess I lied. Maybe I will hurt you.”

As Thomas stepped toward them, Angus turned. “Stay there, pretty boy. I can always switch it up and make you watch.”

“I’m not moving man. Tell me what you want.”

At that point, Samantha stepped out of the woods.

“I’ll tell you what I want. I want my inheritance back,” she said. “You see, my dad found your business card and found out about Angus cheating on me. He said if we didn’t get divorced, I was out of the will.”

“And she couldn’t leave me. Could you, baby?” Angus said, coming up and putting his arm around her. “So what we’re going to need is for you to call your pal Robin Masters and have him give us some of his cash. That is, if he ever wants to see you two alive again.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Higgins said, and suddenly she had freed her hands and was fighting Samantha.

Angus pulled out a knife and was running at Higgins. Thomas caught up to him just as he was about to plunge the knife into her. Angus turned and stabbed Thomas in the side. Thomas fought him off and they grappled for the knife on the ground, rolling toward the edge of the cliff.

Higgins had managed to subdue Samantha and turned just in time to watch Thomas and Angus go over the side of the cliff.

“No,” she screamed and ran to the edge, but they both had disappeared beneath the water and she couldn’t see a thing.


	4. The search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes life is too short. Will Higgins let love slip away?

They called off the search at midnight. A storm had rolled in and visibility was down to nothing. Higgins was livid.

“He would never stop searching for you or you or even you,” she said angrily pointing to T.C. and Rick and Katsumoto.

T.C. had flown Rick and Katsumoto to the island hours ago.

“Jules. We’re not done searching,” Rick said. “We just need to wait until the storm lets up. He would not want us risking our lives.”

She stalked off toward her cabin, slamming the door.

“I’ll talk to her,” Kumu said. She had taken the ferry over to the island to help search.

Kumu knocked at the door and then let herself in.

“Juliet? I brought you some dinner. You need to eat.”

The younger women was sitting on the bed against the headboard. She had her arms around her knees and she looked devastated. “I’m not hungry.”

“I know, but you need to keep your strength up.”

Kumu sat down next to her on the bed.

“You love him, don’t you.”

Surprised, Higgins looked over at her. “Very much,” she whispered. “I can’t lose him Kumu.”

“Hush. Don’t think like that. Thomas is a strong man. He will do everything in his power to come back to you.”

Lightning flashed and thunder shook the cabin. “What if it’s not up to him?” Higgins said.

“The sea is strong, but fair. You don’t need to worry.”

Juliet sighed and twisted the end of the shirt she was holding. It was the shirt Thomas had worn yesterday and it still smelled like him.

“You know, I figured out that the two of you were together before I saw Thomas’ shoes in your room,” Kumu said.

Juliet looked up. “I had wondered if you saw them.”

“Uh huh. But I could tell before that. The way you looked at him changed. You definitely hold your cards close to your chest, but I could tell. Now Thomas, that man is an open book. The way he looks at you, most people would be jealous of that devotion. Anyone can see the love that he has for you.”

“I was the one who wanted to keep our relationship a secret. I was afraid to get hurt again.”

“You don’t need to worry about that with Thomas.”

Juliet smiled a half smile and studied the shirt again. The pain she was in now was worse than anything she had previously experienced.

“You know he would never intentionally hurt you, right?”

“I know. It’s my fault he was stabbed and fell over the cliff. He was trying to save me.”

She blinked back tears, but they kept coming.

Kumu pulled Juliet to her. “Oh honey. We’re going to find him. And when we do, you need to promise me that you’ll tell him exactly how you feel.”

“I promise,” she whispered. 

Juliet fell into a fitful sleep against Kumu. A few hours later, when the sun was barely over the horizon, the search resumed.

While most of the New Beginnings participants had been sent home, Brant, Diana, Jack and Madi stayed to help. Juliet was searching the shoreline with Kumu, Madi and Diana when T.C. ran up.

“We got him!” T.C. yelled.

“What? You found him?” Kumu said, asking T.C. with her eyes what she couldn’t verbalize.

“He’s alive.”

“He’s alive Juliet,” Kumu hugged her.

Juliet was crying again.

“The coast guard is bringing him in. He’s a little banged up and sun burned, but he’s our Thomas.”

The Coast Guard had picked him up clinging to a rocky outcropping, miles from the camp. The boat brought him back to the dock at New Beginnings where an ambulance was waiting.

He was exhausted, but happy to see Rick.

“Where’s Higgins? Is she OK?”

“She’s fine man.”

He nodded and took a deep breath. He still needed to see her.

“Thomas!”

She sprinted toward the ambulance. He stood up. His whole world was that woman running toward him. He opened his arms and she flew into them, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Are you really alright?” She leaned back and gently touched the cut above his eye. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine Higgy. Are you sure you’re OK?”

And she burst into tears, which up until two days ago, was very un-Higgins like.

“Shhh. It’s OK. Let me just hold you for a minute,” he whispered into her hair. 

Rick turned to look at T.C., raising his eyebrows.

When she had her emotions back under control, she lifted the hem of his shirt to look at his side. The cut had stopped bleeding but it looked deep and angry. “I think you’re going to need stitches and it may be infected,” she said gently running her hands over the area around the wound.

She looked up at him again and then kissed him. Her hands pulled his head closer as she deepened the kiss.

Rick cleared his throat. “Wow. This divorce camp must be really good.”

T.C. smirked.

Magnum grinned down at Higgins. He gently kissed her forehead. “I think maybe the guys know.”

“I don’t care. I love you Thomas Magnum.”

T.C. flew Thomas and Higgins to the hospital back on Oahu. Higgins refused to leave his side. 

Rick drove Thomas’ car back with Katsumoto and Kumu. They immediately went to the hospital where Katsumoto filled Thomas in on the case. “Samantha Kelley was pretty much the mastermind behind that relationship, even though Angus thought he was. Her father is ashamed and told her she was on her own for an attorney. Angus’ body still hasn’t been recovered.”

“I figured. I lost track of him as soon as we fell over the cliff.”

Higgins turned away from them. She still couldn’t think about him falling.”

Thomas reached over to squeeze her hand.

“Well, I’m glad you’re OK,” Katsumoto said. “Get some rest.”

A week later, they were sitting on the patio at Robin’s Nest watching the sun set. Thomas reached in his pocket and pulled out a box.

Higgins eyes widened.

He opened the box and inside was the heart-shaped sea glass made into a necklace.

“Oh Thomas.”

“I found this on that rock beach at the camp,” he said. “I am totally going to ask you to marry me soon. But until then, this will remind you of how much I love you.”

She held the tiny heart in her hands and then looked up at him, her eyes glittering.

“I love you Thomas. And yes, I’ll marry you.”

“Wait, I need to ask you properly.”

“Well, ask me.”

He looked at her. He could never say no to her. “Wait here.”

He went to his room and dug in the back of his dresser for a small, red box.

When he came back, he knelt down in front of her and took a deep breath.

“Higgins, Juliet,” he smiled at her. “Higgy. When I was in the water, all I could think of was getting back to you. You’re the reason I’m still here. And you’re the reason I want to be here for the next 50 years.”

She smiled and nodded, reaching out and cupping her hand on his cheek. He grabbed her hand and opened the box. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes. A hundred times, Yes. Where did you get the ring?”

“It was my Grandma Magnum’s. My mom gave it to me after my dad died. She told me to save it for someone special.”

“It’s beautiful. 

"I love you Juliet. And just for the record, I’m totally fine with you keeping your name.”

“We’ll see. Juliet Magnum kind of has a nice ring to it.”

“Who are you?!”

And she leaned over and kissed him.


End file.
